Al Bahr Towers : The Abu Dhabi Investment Council Headquarters

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This publication is entirely centred on the design of Al Bahr Towers. With 300 colour images, it will be highly visual with specially commissioned photography of the completed building, captions and leader lines, effectively speaking to several audiences at once, such as the local business community in Abu Dhabi; consultants and contractors directly involved in the project; and architects and architectural students. The book is to include: A preface by a local dignitary in Abu Dhabi or important figure in the cultural community that will effectivley highlight the significance of the new building. An illustrated introduction by the architectural correspondent of The Financial Times , Edwin Heathcote. This will provide an engaging and accessible narrative for all the book's audiences, highlighting the background behind the building: the client, the circumstances behind the commission and a summary of the way that it recognises traditional Middle Eastern vernacular solutions through its highly innovative and sustainable form. How this effectively represents a significant departure for thinking about architectural solutions, fusing a deep local traditional knowledge and the most up-to-date design technologies. A chapter on traditional architecture in the Middle East and how it developed low-energy, climatically responsive solutions through screens, layering and orientation etc by a specialist in Islamic architecture. A chapter outlining in detail the innovative solutions behind the Al Bahr Towers. This will illustrate the sources of inspiration, such as the screens that were used in the research for the design, and drawings and details of the final building. This chapter will largely be aimed at the design community. It should be of particular interest to architects, structural and environmental engineers and students. A further chapter on the procurement process behind the towers with input from the architects and contractors.

Peter Oborn is Deputy Chairman of Aedas Architects Ltd, part of the Aedas Group, which is ranked as one of the world’s largest international architectural practices. Peter has considerable experience of working internationally, particularly in the Gulf, and has completed projects in Oman, Qatar and the UAE. He was responsible for inception of the practice’s Research & Development group, based in London, which has developed specialisms in sustainability, advanced modelling and computational design. Underpinning the work of the group is a commitment to an increasingly rigorous and thoughtful design process, combining empirical analysis with creativity. Peter is a national member of the RIBA Council and was elected the RIBA's Vice President for International Relations in October 2011.